Home Is Where the Heart Is
by annieluwho
Summary: Anthony 'Racetrack' Higgins has been my best friend for as long as I can remember there hasn’t been one significant moment in my life that he's missed from losing our parents, to falling in love, and yeah i no it's clique but, I am 100 in love with him
1. Chapter 1

Home Is Where the Heart Is

Disclaimer: I wish I owned Newsie's but sadly I don't it belongs to Disney Inc.

I know this isn't in proper English but I was trying to make it as realistic a possible .

Italics are flashbacks

Prologue

We've know each other since birth. Our parents were best friends. We did everything together since I can remember, including losing our families. I can still see the headline in my mind today even though we were only about eight years old. "Fire in Bronx Apartment Building: No Survivors". _That winter day me and Tony (that was Races name before we became Newsie's) were coming home form the park and we saw it the whole building up in flames. I had tried to get in but Race held me back telling me that if I went in there I wouldn't come back out. Ill never forget that look in his eyes when he said that to me, that was the day we both grew up. Well anyway , we wandered around the city for a few days ,but we figured that we couldn't do that forever so one day while we were walking a little boy came walking up to us , he was about our age and seemed nice enough and he said "Hi I'm Jack Kelly whose are you"_

"_I'm Chris and this is Tony " I said to this strange boy_

"_What are youse doing out here in the middle of winter youse are going to freeze out here" he said with a look of concern _

"_We don't have anywhere to go" Race told the boy with a grim look on his face_

" _Yea youse should come with me " he said smiling _

" _How do we know that you're not trying to tick us" I asked him _

"_Well" he paused " I guess youse just gonna have to trust me" he said_

"_Do you think we should trust this kid Tony" I asked him quietly as we were walking _

" _I dunno Chris he looks pretty trust worthy" he said _

_We walked a couple of more blocks and then the Jack said "We'll here we are" as he stopped in front of a building that said "Newsboys Lodging House" in faded black print _

"_So you're a Newsie" asked Race_

"_Yup" said Jack as he led us up to the front desk that had a book open on it and a kind looking elderly man behind it and the man said "Heyya Jack and who are these two" _

"_Well this is Tony and Chris" he said _

"_Alright I'm Mr. Kloppman are you two staying for the night" he asked_

"_Umm how much is it "I asked him _

"_It's just a nickel a night for one person" he said kindly _

"_Ok " I said and me and Tony searched around in our pockets for some money_

"_Got it" I said and pulled out a dime and handed it to Mr. Kloppman_

"_Alright then" he said go and head on up_

"_Lets go" said Jack "There's some people I want you to meet" he said _

"_Thanks for the money , Ill pay you back as soon as I can " said Tony _

" _Don't worry about it ,what are friends for" I said to him smiling for the first time in a while_

" _Hey guys" Jack said as we reached the boarding room "hey guys" he screamed into the room and then it was quite _

"_Who are they Jack" said an unknown voice _

" _This is Tony" he said pointing to Tony "And this is Chris" he said pointing to me_

"_Well Jack I see you've got a few new recruits " said and older boy _

"_Hiya I' m Trapper" he said to me and Tony_

"_He's the leader of the Manhattan Newsies" Jack told us_

"_So can they stay Trap" said Jack _

"_Hmmm, Well Jacky if youse think there ok than…" he paused "There in" he said and smiled "Welcome to the Manhattan Newsies kids "he said _

"_Thanks " me and Tony said simultaneously_

"_Come'ere guys I want you to meet my friends" he said to us as he walked over to some other kids about our age as well_

"_Hey guys what's crackin' 'said Jack as he sat down next to a kid with an eye patch over his left eye "Ok guys this is Tony and Chris" he said and we both smiled and waved at them. Tony and Chris this is Kid-Blink he said and pointed to the kid with the eye patch, this is Mush he said and pointed to a kid with dark hair and a smile on his face, this is Boots he said and pointed to a kid who was dark skinned and holding a few marbles in his hand ,that's Sinpeshotter he said pointing to a very small kid to his right, and this is Crutchy he said and nodded to a kid with a crutch sitting on the floor next to him , that's about it all the other newsies are a bit older but all fairly nice" he said_

"_Hey" they all said to us they all seemed somewhat nice form what I could tell until,_

"_Hey Jack" said one of them I think it was snipe shooter _

"_Yea Snipe' replied _

"_Uh Chris is a girl" he said_

"_Oh boy this should be good " I heard Tony mumble under his breath _

"_Do you have a problem with that" I said to him eyeing him warily _

" _Uh no he doesn't I think he was just a little surprised that a girl wanted to be a Newsie" said Kid- Blink quickly seeing that this situation could become very ugly very fast._

"_Yea what Blink said " said Snipeshotter_

"_Oh alright then" I said _

"_So where are you guys from" asked Boots _

"_The Bronx" said Tony _

"_Oh yea I no some people from the Bronx where'd you two used to live" asked Mush_

"_Anderson Avenue ,by the hospital" I said _

"_Yea , that's cool" he said I don't think that you'd know them though to far away_

"_Oh ok" said Race as they all started to talk amongst themselves I said to Tony _

"_I can see us getting along with them" _

"_Yeah so can I" he said back and smiled_

The next few years flew by quickly and before I knew it was a whole year after the strike, we were all sixteen, and the best of friends, getting into fights once and again well now that you have the back round story ill get to the present and trust me this will get interesting, so yea, my names Ace and this is my story .

AN: ok that was a long first chapter five whole pages ok so please review this is my first Newsies piece so please be kind ok so on to the second chapter


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own Newsies : (

Chapter 1 :

Chapter One

"Race what are you doing" I asked him as I watched him try and climb onto a trolley cart

"Oh nothing" he said

" Your crazy" I said to him as I started to walk away

"and your just figuring this out" Kid Blink said to me as he walked passed Race who was now trying to get off the trolley cart before any one noticed him

"Yea yea" he muttered to us

"Well you didn't answer me what were you doing" I asked him

" Oh right" he said " Snipe bet me that I couldn't get on the trolley car without anyone noticin'." He said

"And .." I said

"And now Snipe owes me lunch" he said triumphantly

"I shoulda know" I said to Blink

"Yea you knows best that Race never backs down form a bet" he said back to me

"Mhhhm" I said back distractedly as we walked back into the Lodging House as I was looking around and I noticed some guys looking at me kinda weird like I don't know they wanted something from me but wouldn't ask me for it

"Hey Race, Blink" I said to them starting to get annoyed at the looks I was getting

"Are my pants on backwards or something" I said to them

" What?" said Race looking totally confused

"That was random" said Blink with a slightly amused smirk on his face

" Well then what are those guys lookin' at me funny for?" I asked them

Then Blink and Race burst out laughing for no apparent reason as I can see

"What in the hell is so funny" I asked them seriously with an annoyed look on my face

"Well , how do I explain this to you" said Race still laughing slightly

" You see Ace, these looks you've been getting isn't so much youse' clothes ,it's more of what's under youes' clothes" he said and gave me a look

"Wha… Ohhh" I said and looked down at my body "Got it" I said looking somewhat embarrassed

"But …"started Race with all traces of laughter leaving his face "If a single one of those give you any trouble ill soak em'" he said in a deadly serious voice

" Easy there big strong protector , I can handle myself thank you very much " I said to him with conviction

"Yea I know, but…" said Race

"Ahh, no buts there Race buddy I can take care of it don't you worry your pretty little head about it " I said in a teasing voice grinning the whole time "Now can we move on please" I said

"Yea sure" said Blink getting the point that I didn't want to talk this over with Race anymore

"Let's just go and sell our papes ok" I said to both of them

"The usual spot" said Blink happy to not have to be the peace maker between Races and Ace any more.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I don't own Newsie's sadly: (

_Italics are thoughts _

**Chapter 3- The Blowout, Amongst Other Things**

Later That Same Day

"RACE! What is wrong with you! "I yelled as I ran up the stairs and into the bunkroom

"Nothing is wrong with me I am perfectly fine at the moment" he answered back form his bunk

"We'll apparently there is something wrong with that head of yours considerin' you just beat up some innocent guy, for no apparent reason, you could have seriously hurt your self that guy was twice your size" I screamed but at a slightly lower volume

"I didn't like the way he was lookin' at you and da things dat he said when I asked him what he was looking at" he mumbled

"What! Something that might suggest that he had a slightest bit of interest in me" I spat back

"No the way he was leering at you like a disgustin' pig, and the way he told me that ' he wouldn't mind getting a piece of that' referrin' to you " he spat back as he got up and walked up to me so that we were right in each others faces

"Ya' know, why is that such a crisis that a guy might actually be interested in me" I argued

"Because …I just didn't like the look of him and..." he stammered slightly

"You know what Race, I'm so sick of this why does it always have to be like this, why do we always have to fight" I said quietly

"I don't know, I guess it's just a part of growin' up ya know, look Ise sorry I jumped the guy I just, I guess I ..." he said calming down and lowering his voice

"Don't worry about it Race, you were just looking out for me, but next time don't try and kill the guy just because he thinks I look good" I said smiling slightly

"Yeah I'll try my best" he said now fully grinning

"You'd better" I said while slapping him playfully on the arm

"Mhhmm…" he responded while grabbing me and flipping me onto the bunk

"Ahh!" I shrieked and got up and tackled him, catching him by surprise, he fell onto the nearest bed and I landed on top of him laughing like a goof

"Gotcha" I remarked and I put my elbows next to his head on either side

"Yea, yea" he mumbled and then I realized just how close we were to one another and took a sharp intake of breath as my green eyes met his dark brown, then all of a sudden I heard footsteps and loud voices coming up the stairs and I sprung off of Race and nearly hit my head on the bunk above us and we moved away form each other leaving at least five feet of space between us about a second later the boys walked in and Blink remarked

"Is the war-zone safe now"

"Shut up Blink" I mumbled

"I guess not then" he said as he walked into the washroom to clean off his face chuckling

"But seriously are you two ok cause I don't want ta have ta clean up any blood shed tonight" Skittery said while messing up my hair as he walked past on the way to his bunk

"Yea were alright" Race said as he sat back down on his bunk and put a new cigar in his mouth

"Good now hows about some pokea' " Blink suggested as he rejoined the group and sat down at the poker table

"I'm in" I stated as I got up form my bunk

"Sure why not" Race agreed immediately and we both got up and glanced at each other and then averted our eyes to any place but the other and sat down at the table

"_Well this should be interesting" I thought to myself_

A.N. tell me what you think, reviews are greatly appreciated :)


	4. Chapter 4

3

Disclaimer- I don't own Newsie's

_A.N. Italics are thoughts _

**Chapter 4 – Realizations and Awkwardness**

-The Next Day-

To say the next day was awkward would be the understatement of the year, Racetrack and I couldn't even look each other in the eye, it also didn't help that every time he cam within five feet of me it felt like an angry swarm of butterflies were released into my stomach making my face heat up and arousing suspicion amongst our friends

"Hey, Ace what's goin' on with you and Racetrack" Blink questioned me as we sat down at the table at Tibby's

"Nothins goin' on, why?" I asked trying to sound casual

"Well, hmm let me see" Blink said while stroking his chin comically

"Neither of you have said so much as one woird to each other, since yesterday, so do you mind fillin' me in" Blink finished looking concerned

"I don't know what you're talkin' about Blink; I just haven't had anything to say to him, I'm not avodin' talkin' to 'im" I answered just praying that he would soon drop the subject because I was running out of excuses

"Sure , Ace" he mumbled still not looking convinced but letting it go for the moment, and internally I let out a sigh of relief , I barely knew what was happening how was I supposed to explain it to someone else

-That Night Before He Went to Bed – Race POV

"_Oh boy, oh boy what was going on with me and Ace today, yesterday we were foolin' around like always and today we can hardly look at each other, maybe she's werieded out by that moment we had yesterday, that must be it , hmm god she looked amazin' and she just fit perfectly in my arms… ah what am I sayin' that is crazy talk , I think I'm drivin' myself insane with all this worrin' , it'll probably cool down by tommorwa', yea tomorroa'.." he thought as he drifted off to sleep_

-That Night Before She Went to Bed- Ace's POV

"_Ok I need to get over what ever this thing is that was goin' on today , I mean the kid's my best friend it's not like I can avoid him forever …but it's killing me to figure out what the hell is going on.. argh, this makes me so mad… oh god it's probably that whole landing on top of him thing yesterday , that shouldn't be such a big deal that used to happen all the time and I wouldn't get this flustered about it … but god he has a lot more muscle now than when we were younger , hmm that was a pretty nice feeling having his arms around me, I wonder what It would feel like if he … OH GOD what am I thinking I have to go to sleep , I think the lack of rest is gettin' to me , yea that's it…. _

-The Next Morning-

"Hey Ace" Race mumbled the next morning to me

"Hey" I said somewhat lamely and then I made a huge mistake I looked up into his eyes and then it hit me like a ton of bricks, I had fallen in love with my best friend.


End file.
